Sewing machine



A. GRIEB SEWING MACHINE Elma/14M Alfred Grl'eh Filed March 21, 1952 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE Alfred Grieb, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company,

Elizabeth,

N. J., a Corporation of New Jersey Application March 21, 1932. Serial No. 600,237

5 Claims. (Cl. 112-484) This invention relates to sewing machines, more particularly of the gear-driven vertical axis circularly'moving hook type, and has for an object to provide the machine with simple, inexpensive and efficient gear-housing means which will collect and retain the lubricant-drip from the gears regardless of whether the machine is standing upright in operative position or is tilted on its side, either forwardly or rearwardly, for inspection of its under mechanism or for housing purposes in the usual drop-head cabinet.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawing of 'a preferred embodiment of the invention from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in'the art.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a sewing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1, and Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the gear-housing and lubricant-retaining means.

1 represents the fiat horizontal bed of a sewing machine frame including the hollow standard 2 of the usual bracket-arm terminating in the head 3 carrying the usual reciprocating needle 4 and presser-foot 5.

Projecting downwardly from the bed 1 are bearing lugs 6, '7 and 8. The bearing lug 6 has a fiat vertical inside face 9 and a lower circular rim-portion 10 having a gap 11 in one side in the plane of the face 9.

Journaled vertically in the bearing lug 6 is the hook-shaft 12 carrying at its upper end the usual circularly moving hook 13 and at its lower end the gear 14. The hook-shaft 12 is coaxial with the lower circular rim-portion 10 of the bearing lug 6, and the gear 14 projects through the gap 11 in the inside wall of the rimportion 10.

Journaled in the bearing lugs 7 and 8 below the bed 1 and normal to the face 9 is the lower horizontal hook-driving shaft 15 to one end of which is fixed the gear 16 lying closely adjacent and parallel to the face 9 of the bearing lug 6 and meshing with the portion of the gear 14 exposed by the gap 11 in the rim-portion 10 of the bearing lug 6. Fixed to the other end of the horizontal hook-driving shaft 15 is a gear 17 with which meshes the gear 18 at the lower end of the vertical hook-driving shaft 19 which is journaled at 20 in the hollow standard 2 and receives its motion in the usual manner from the upper main-shaft (not shown).

Secured to the flat face 9 of the bearing lug 6 by screws 21 is the curved apron-member 22 formed preferably from sheet-metal and having an inverted U-shaped clearance slot 23, Fig. 5, for the hub of the gear 16 and perforated attaching ears 24 for the screws 21. The apronmember 22 is formed with downward extensions 25 having screw-threaded holes 26.

Fitted upon and enclosing the rim-portion 10 of the bearing lug 6 is the circular cup-shaped member 27 having a circular rim-portion 28 of reduced diameter receiving within it the apronextensions 25. The rim 28 of the cup-shaped member is secured to the apron-extensions 25 by the fastening screws 29 which are threaded into the tapped screw holes 26. The swelled or enlarged bottom portion of the cup-shaped member 27 constitutes a receiving chamber for a limited quantity of lubricant drippings which, it will be observed, cannot spill from such chamber when the machine is tilted either forwardly or rearwardly but will be retained in the bulged lower portion of the member 27.

The gears 17, 18 are enclosed by a cup-member 30 formed with a U-shaped clearance slot 31 for the shaft 15 and hub of the gear 17. The slot 31 does not reach to the bottom wall 32 of the cup 30 and hence such cup has a limited capacity for receiving lubricant drippings without overflow thereof through the slot 3l. The cup 30 is formed at its upper edge with front and rear inturned flange-portions 33 and outturned attaching ears 34. The flanges 33 catch and retain the lubricant drippings when the machine is tilted forwardly or rearwardly. The member 30 is secured to the under side of the bed 1 by screws 35 which pass through the cars 34.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine, a frame including a bed having a fiat horizontal upper surface and bearing lugsprojecting downwardly therefrom, areciprocating needle, a circularly moving hook, a vertical hook-shaft journaled in one of said lugs, a gear fixed to the lower end of said hookshaft, a horizontal drive-shaft journaled in others of said lugs, a gear on said drive-shaft meshing with the gear on the hook-shaft, and a casing for said gears including a cup-shaped element formed with a bulged body-portion and a rim-portion having an opening of less size than said bulged body-portion, said element enclosing the lower end of said hook-shaft.

2. In a sewing machine, a frame including a flat bed formed with a depending hook-shaft bearing lug having a flat vertical-inside face and a lower rim-portion having a gap in one side in the plane of said face, a vertical hookshaft journaled in said lug, a driven gear on said shaft within said rim-portion, a hook-driving shaft, a driving gear on said hook-driving shaft meshing with the said driven gear, and a gear housing comprising an apron secured to the flat face of said lug and partially enclosing said driving gear, and a cup-shaped part enclosing the lower end of said hook-shaft and overlapping said apron.

3. In a sewing machine, a flat horizontal bed having a hook-shaft bearing lug extending downwardly therefrom and terminating in a lower rim-portion, said lug having a flat inside face in a plane cutting vertically through said rim-portion to form a gap in one side of the latter, a vertical hook-shaft journaled in said lug, a driven gear on said shaft within said rimportion, a portion of said gear projecting through said gap, a horizontal hook-driving shaft journaled below said bed normal to said flat face, a driving gear on said hook-driving shaft meshing with said driven gear and disposed parallel with and close to said face, an apron secured to said face and partially enclosing said driving gear, said apron having an inverted U-shaped clearance slot for the hub of said driving gear and downward extensions at the sides of said tween the latter and said vertical drive shaft and hook-shaft, respectively, and cup-shaped gear housings enclosing said gears and secured to said bed, said housings having oil drip retaining cavities and inwardly extending wall portions above said cavities to retain oil drippings when the machine is tilted forwardly or rearwardly.

5. In a sewing machine, a frame including a fiat bed and a standard rising therefrom, a vertical drive-shaft in said standard, a gear on the lower end of said vertical drive-shaft below said bed, a horizontal hook-driving shaft journaled below said bed, a gear on said hook-driving shaft meshing with said first-mentioned gear, and a housing for said gears in the form of a cupshaped member having a U-shaped clearance slot in its side wall for said horizontal shaft, said slot terminating above the bottom of said housing, said housing having at its top inturned flange-portions and outturned ears, and means for attaching said ears to the under side of said bed.

ALFRED GRIEB. 

